Lesson 2 – Step 3 – Present simple vs Present continuous

PROGRESO DE LA LECCIÓN

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Let’s learn something new about the present simple and the present continuous. First, we’ll practise what you already know.

You can watch the video or go straight to the written explanation. You decide! Once you’ve finished, you can move to step 4.

Practise what you know

Complete the following sentences using the present simple or the present continuous of the verbs in brackets.

Usually, Agnes and Nicole ____________ (play) in the park but today they ____________ (study) at school.
Jessica always ____ (smile) at work and at the moment some other workmates ____________ (smile) as well.
Right now the students ______ (read) a book and the teacher ______________ (write) on the board.
Almost every day of work______(begin) at 8:00, but on Tuesdays work _____(start) at 8:30.
She_______(like) to bake cookies, but at the moment she _______(not bake) cookies because she___is studying________(study) at school.
Dana _____(enjoy) climbing mountains during her holidays, but this year he_________(not take) any holiday because she________(study) English.
Nadine and Johan___________(do) computer exercises at the moment. They usually ___(do) computer exercises on Tuesday.
Chantal ____(like) to read. At the moment, she_____________(read) a very good novel about Queen Victoria.
Cintia_comes________(come) from Germany, and _________(return) there for a holiday in the near future.
Peter _________(try) to complete the on-line exercises at the moment.

PRESENT SIMPLE vs PRESENT CONTINUOUS

We examined the difference between these two tenses in level 5 lesson 2.

ACTION AND STATE VERBS

There are two types of verbs in English: action and state verbs. Look at the chart:

ACTION VERBS	describe actions	make- cook- drive -play – jump – stay – arrive – fly – begin –
STATE VERBS	describe states, feelings, or senses	be-need-love-agree-believe-depend – seem – suppose – want – forget – hate – love – matter – need – know – like – recognise – belong – hear – mean – prefer – remember
MIXED VERB	have a non-action and an action meaning	have -think- look – hear – weigh – appear – see – have

We can use the present continuous with action verbs, but not with state verbs:
- I am jumping
- ~~I am~~ ~~loving~~ ~~you~~
Mixed verbs have an action and state meaning, depending on the context. When it has an action verb meaning, we can use the present continuous, whereas when it has a stative meaning, we use the present simple.

She is looking through the window→ Here, look means “to observe”.

It is an action verb.She looks tired today→ Here, look means “to appear”. It is a stative verb.

Ready? Terrific! Let’s move on to step 3 to practise what you’ve learnt in this step.